Results from a new survey show the recent teacher pay raise has had little immediate effect on the state’s teacher shortage, and that schools will still start the year with nearly 500 unfilled positions.

More than half of them said it was more difficult to hire teachers this year than it was in 2017.

About 10 percent of district leaders reported that the pay raise was helpful in convincing teachers contemplating retirement to remain in the classroom.

Nearly 30 percent of superintendents said they plan to increase class sizes this year. That’s down from 55 percent in 2017.

This is the fifth year the OSSBA has put out the teacher shortage survey. One of the most common recurring concerns is how an overreliance on inexperienced teachers is jeopardizing student achievement.

The Oklahoma State Board of Education has already approved more than 1,200 emergency teaching in the first two months of the current fiscal year. By comparison, almost 2,000 were approved in all of fiscal year 2018.

About 100 teachers and school administrators filed for political office in the 2018 election. Most are not shy about supporting the first tax increase in nearly three decades, even though it’s a progressive political message in a deeply conservative state.

Pro-tax campaigns from educators seem to be resonating with voters in many parts of Oklahoma — but not everywhere.

Deborah Gist cried as she stepped across the small stage in front the Oklahoma State Capitol. The Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools and a group of educators had just finished a 110-mile walk from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to highlight their fight for more school funding.

It was the seventh day of Oklahoma’s teacher walkout, and thousands of supporters rallied to greet the group as it finished the final mile.

“This is not a rally,” Gist yelled to the crowd. “This is not a protest. This is a movement!”

After nine days of rallying at the state capitol, union leaders say the Oklahoma teacher walkout is over.

The president of the Oklahoma Education Association, Alicia Priest, said on Thursday that despite thousands of people calling on lawmakers to increase school funding, educators have seen no significant legislative movement since last Friday.

She said the union polled its members, and a majority doubted that continuing the walkout would result in more money for schools.